Automatic vestibule-curtain holder.



0. R. VINQUIST. AUTOMATIG VBSTIBULE GURTAIN HOLDER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 24, 1913.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

2 SEEETS-SHEET 1.

G. R. VINQUIST. AUTOMATIC VESTIBULE' GURTAIN HOLDER.

1 APPLIQATION PILED APR.24, 1913 Patented Apr. 7, 9 9

2 BEEETS-SHEET 2.

@bbc (44043 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTON. D. c.

CHARLES B. VINQUIST, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

AUTOMATIC VESTIBULE-CURTAIN HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. '7, 1914.

Application filed April 24, 1913. Serial No. 763,265.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CI-IARLES R. VIN-- citizen of the United States, residing QUIST 7 and State in the city and co-unty of Denver of Colorado, have invented certain new and' My invention relates to improvements inattachments for vestibule curtains, the object of the invention being to provide a construction whereby the curtain shall be automatically detached from one menber of the Vestibule structure as the cars pull apart,

thus preventing the possibility of tearing or injuring the curtain. -Ieretofore, so far as I am aware no satisfactory means has been provided to accomplish this purpose. In some instances the automatic device releases when it should not, or when the cars are* coupled and used in the ordinary way; while' at other times the so called automatic device fails to release and the curtain is destroyed. My improved construction is intended to overcome this difficulty and to this end I provide a pivoted arm which is normally held in the locked position by means of a latch. connected with this latch is a wire which leads to a vertically disposed spring roller with which one extremity of the curtain is connected. This roller is mounted upon one car while the opposite extremity of the curtain is connected with a stationary hook mounted on the other car. This hook is normally in engagement with the arm which is engaged in locking relation by the latch as aforesaid. The wire which releases the latch is so connected with the spring roller that just before the curtain is completely unwound by the separating action of the cars the wire is wound upon the roller suiiciently to actuate the latch and release the pivoted arm, thus detaching the curtain from the opposite car without injury. The spring roller then automatically winds up the curtain which is ready for use when the cars are recoupled. The pivoted arm is automatically returned to the looking position by means of a spiral spring which is placed under tension by the Opening movement of the arm during the separating action of the cars. Hence, the arm is always ready to rengage the latch when the cars are 'coupled, The latch is also normally spring retained in the looking position.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction I will proceed to describe the same in detail reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In this drawing Figure 1, is a section taken through the diaphragm of two Vestibule, cars the same being equipped with curtains connected after the manner of my improvement. `Fig. 2, is a horizontal section taken through a curtain whose extremities are equipped and connected with my in- Vention, the parts being shown on a larger scale; Fig. 3, is a fragmentary elevation of one extremity of the curtain the same being equipped with my automatically operated releasing device. Fig. 4:, is a similar view with parts sectioned. Fig. 5, is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4, the pivo-ted arm however being shown released in full lines, its normal position being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 6, is a detail view showing a band for Connecting the releasing pull wire with the spring roller of the curtain.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the Views.

Let the numerals 5 and 6 respectively designate the adjacent extremities of two vestibule cars, the cars being coupled and showing the diaphragms 7 and the meeting plates 8 in the corresponding position. These features are of ordinary constructon. My present improvement has to do only with the matter of Connecting and releasing the curtains 9. One extremity of each curtain is connected with a vertically disposed spring roller 10 mounted on the vestibule eX- tremity of one car while the opposite eX- tremity of the curtain is equipped with a bracket 12 having a vertically disposed arm 13 connected with a hook 14: mounted on the vestibule extremity of the adjacent car. This arm 13 is pivotally connected as shown at 15 with a top bar 16, the opposite eX- tremity of the arm being adapted to interlock with a latch 17 which is pivoted at 18 on a bottom bar 49 parallel with a bar 16, the two bars being suitably separated to allow the hook 14: the necessary vertical novement on the arm 13 while the cars are in motion this movement being required by virtue of the fact that the car eXtremities do not vibrate in perfect harmony and hence,

provision must be made for a reasonable 5 range of vertical movement of the hook 14 and the arm 13 upon each other.

The two bars 16 and 49 are connected with a rod 20 to which one extremity of a curtain 9 is secured, the curtain being passed around the rod and sewed or stitched as shown at 21. The bars 16 are each composed of two separate parts, the extremities of each bar remote from the arm 13 being bifurcated to clasp the rod 20 and secured by means of rivets 22 or other suitable fastening devices. The bracket 12 is further strengthened and reinforced by a vertically i disposed member 23 whose extremities are bent as shown at 24 and 25 to pass between the two members of the bars 16 and 19.

The extremity of the arm 13 remote from the pivot 15 is notched as shown at 26 to receive the eXtremity 27 of the latch 17 which is formed of counterpart shape, The latch is normally held in position to interlock with the arm by means of a spring 28.

As illustrated in the drawing the rod 20 is tubular which form is preferable as it gives the greatest strength for a given weight of material. The eXtremity of each curtain 9 opposite that which is equipped with the braoket 12, is connected with the spring roller carried by, the opposite car, the curtain being secured to the roller by means of suitable fastening devices 29.

The locking'latch 17, as illustrated in the ,drawing is a bell crank lever, one of its arms 30 being connected as shown at 31 with one end of a wire 32 or other suitable fleXible device. This wire passes through a loop or pocket 33 formed on the curtain the pocket r being inclined to the horizontal and constituting a guide for the wire whose opposite extremity is connected with the spring roller 10 in a suitable manner. As illustrated in the drawing the last named eXt-remity of the wire is connected as shown at 34 with a band 35 which is placed around the spring roller (see Fig. 2) and suitably secured thereto. The curtain eXtremity is applied to the roller after this band is put in place and when the fastening devices 29 are employed to secure the curtain extremity to the roller, one of these devices is passed through the band 35 55 thus securing the curtain extremity at a proper relative distance from the attached eXtremity 34 of the wire, so that before the curtain is completely unwound from the roller, the wire eXtremity connected with the 60 latter will be actuated sufliciently to unlock the latch 17 and thus allow the arm 13 to disiengage itself from the hook 14, thereby per- 'mitting the cars to separate without injuring the curtain. In order to produce an ap- 6 proximately straight pull on the curtain and the releasing wire 32 between the cars during the separating action of the latter, the car upon which the spring roller is mo-unted is provided with a guide 36. As soon as the latch 30 is thrown to the position illustrated in Fig. 5, and the arm 13 moves to a position to disengage itself from the hook 14, the arm is automatically returned to the position to engage the latch by means of a spiral spring 37 which is concealed within the arm which is channel shaped for the purpose. The aXis of this spring lies parallel with the direction of the body of the arm, the lower extremity of the spring being secured to the arm as shown at 38 while its upper eXtremity is connected with a pin 3.9 located inwardly beyond the aXis of the spring, the upper extremity of the arm being open as shown at 40 to allow a hook 41 connected with the up` per extremity of the springproper as shown at 42 to pass inwardly and connect with the pin 39. This pin 39 is located inwardly beyond the pivot 15 of the arm. Consequently when the arm moves outwardly to disengage itself from the hook 14, the lower extremity of the spring or that connected with the pin 38 will travel in a greater arc than the corresponding point of the arm. In other words, the pin 38 will travel *in the are B (see Fig. 6) while 'the corresponding point of the arm 13 will travel in the are A. Consequently the spring will be placed under tension in a lengthwise direction and as soon as the arm has become disengaged from the hook 'the arm will automatically return to its nornal position or that in which it is adapted to be engaged by the looking latch or spring actuated bell crank lever device 17. By virtue of the fact that the wire 32 occupies a position inclined to the horizontal or so that its extremity connected with the spring roller is normally higher than its extremity connected with the latch 17, the wire after the curtain -has been released will be spirally wound on the spring actuated roller thus distributing its convolutions lengthwise of the roller and preventing the winding of the wire approximately in a single `place upon the roller which would prevent the curtain from winding in a roll of uniform diameter.

The band 35 is preferably constructed as illustrated in detail in Fig. 6, being provided wit-h a central loop 43 which is connected i with the wire extremity, one extremity of the band having a tongue 44 adapted to pass through an Opening 45 formed in the other e cars, a spring roller mounted on one car, a stationary hook mounted on the opposite car, and a curtain connected with the spring roller at one eXtremity, of a bracket mounted on the opposite extremity of the curtain and including a pivoted arm, and a looking latch engaging said arm, the latch being spring held in position to be engaged by the arm and the latter being normally spring held in interlocking relation with the arm, a wire connected in releasing relation with the latch at one extremity and at its opposite eX- tremity with the curtain roller, the curtain having a pocket inclined to the horizontal and forming a guide for the wire substantially as described.

2. The combination with two Vestibule cars, a spring roller mounted on one car, a stationary ho-ok mounted on the opposite car, and a curtain connected with the spring roller at one extremity, of a bracket mounted on the opposite extremity of the curtain and including a pivoted arm, and a looking latch engaging said arm, the latch being spring-held in position to be engaged by the arm and the latter being normally springheld in interlocking relation with the latch, means connected in releasing relation with the latch at one extremity and at its opposite extremity wit-li the curtain roller for the purpose set 'orth.

3. The combination with two Vestibule cars, a spring roller mounted on one car, a stationary hook mounted on the opposite car and a curtain connected with the spring roller at one extremity, of a bracket mounted on the opposite extremity of the curtain and including a pivoted arm, and a looking latch engaging said arm, the latch being spring-held in position to be engaged by the arm, and the latter being equipped with a spring connected therewith at one extremity and with a relatively stationary part of the bracket at its opposite eXtremity, the arrangement being such that the spring is placed under tension as the arm is pulled away from the latch, and means connected in releasing relation with the latch at one eX- tremity and at its opposite extremity with the curtain roller, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a car, of a vestibule curtain equipped with a bracket including a pivoted arm, and a spring-held latch mounted to interlock with said arm, the latter being normally spring-held in interlocking relation with the latch, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a car, of a Vestibule curtain equipped with a bracket including a pivoted arm, and a spring-held latch mounted to interlock with said arm, the latter being equipped with a spring connected therewith at one eXtremity, and with a relatively stationary part of the bracket at its opposite eXtremity, the arrangement being such that the spring is placed under tension as the arm is pulled away from the latch, for the purpose set forth.

6. The combination with a car, of a Vestibule curtain equipped with a bracket including a pivoted arm, and a latch mounted to interlock with said arm, the latter being equipped with a spring connected therewith at one extremity and with a relatively stationary part of the bracket at its opposite extremity, the arrangement being such that the spring is placed under tension as the arm is pulled away from the latch for the purpose set forth.

7 A vestibule curtain bracket composed of two separated bars adapted to be secured to the curtain, an arm pivoted to one bar and a latch pivotally connected with the other bar and arranged to interlock with said arm, the latter being normally spring-held in interlocking relation with the latch.

8. A bracket of the class described, composed of two separated bars, a rigid member Connecting the said bars, an arm pivotally connected with one bar and a latch pivotally mounted on the other bar and arranged to interlock with said arm, the latter being normally spring-held in interlocking relation with the latch.

9. The combination with a curtain, of a bracket composed of two separated bars, a rigid member Connecting the said bars, the latter protruding beyond the said member in the direction of the curtain for securing puroses, an arm pivotally connected with one ar and a latch pivotally mounted on the other bar, and arranged to interlock with said arm, the latter being normally springheld in interlocking relation with the latch.

'In testimony whereof I afX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GHARLES R. VINQUIST. Witnesses:

A. J. O BRIEN, C. M. WAUDBY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, '.D. G. 

